Middleton is so overpriced its crazy, only good for very heavy bass under 50% which falls away rapidly after that. and the x600 being described as a boombox almost in the same breathe as the jbl encore should be illegal? 🤣 everyone is entitled to their opinion but hope people google a bit more before taking that post as anywhere near the best bluetooths speakers out there.

I recently went for one which is a bit cheaper on Amazon and have been massively impressed. Its a Trelab HD77 and I don't really think you can beat the quality you get for the price. Would recommend.

I got the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ and it's the best bluetooth speaker I have ever owned, hands down. The thing sounds like theater speakers and it has 360 degree sound. It's also water resistant. It has a little handle on it so you can easily bring it with you. Worth every penny!

Earfun UBoom X is loud and sounds good.
Not too expensive, fits in a backpack. (9 lbs)

Soundcore Boom 2 is lighter (3.6lbs.)

Minirig is about 103db

How big is that backpack? As the others commented, Tribit Lava, Tribit Blast or Earfun Uboom X all go pretty loud and I would consider them somewhat portable. One size down is something like the Soundcore Boom 2, one size up JBL Partybox 120.

The way these comments are going, I don’t think they are reading the body. Heck the only thing you need is your tunes anyway, so just throw that other stuff out and stuff a component system in your pack, and pull a wagon with the generator, and speakers in it.

I'd actually probably go with 2 earfuns, setup a backpack where you can point them out left and right for great stereo sound. Or start with just 1 on a budget.

Hope you're enjoying your Sony, they make good products. I would have recommended the Soundcore Motion 300. I love this speaker it sounds great, and has a lot of bass. I challenge anyone to find a better speaker for $67.99. It has nice clarity, balanced sound, and plenty of bass, and can get pretty loud. If you wanted to have a second speaker for whatever reason give this one a whirl, it's really impressive.

You won't get "good sound quality with strong bass" from a small Bluetooth speaker that is super easy to transport, that you can simply throw into your backpack and that doesn't take up much space. You can't cheat physics. You have to make a compromise somewhere. If it's small, it doesn't have great bass. It's as simple as that and there's no getting around it.

You therefore need to think about the approximate maximum size and weight of the speaker.

Tribit XSound Plus 2. Good bass, small enough, splash proof, budget friendly, just wish it's slightly louder. You can pair it with a second one of itself though to make them louder.

Diggin my Bose Soundlink. Thin for portability. The bass isn't mind blowing but I was surprised for the size. Sounds great.

Minirig delivers great sound, but it’s not waterproof, so it's not ideal for outdoor or poolside use

What do you consider portable? How much weight is too heavy?

MINIRIG

loud: yes

good sound quality: yes

strong bass: no

Truly reliable and worth it! Mine lasted 5/6 years before it suddenly gave out! Just stopped charging after the battery died one day. Tried to look up many ways to “reset it” but with no avail. Will be truly missed :’)

Yup the utilitarian’s choice for on the go

What is the battery life on xtreme 3?

Got mine on black friday for half the normal price, i only use it when im drunk in my sauna. Best purchase of 2024.

I bring my PartyBox 320 with me everywhere I go lol (I use it for the sound system in my car)

For me, the JBL Flip 6 is probably the best quality you can get under 200$. I’ve tried so many different Bluetooth speakers and this is by far the best one. Lmk if you try it :)!

JBL Flip 6.

i actually had to return this speaker because it would distort to an extreme degree when nearing max volume. no EQ would make it sound good. I even purchased more than one of the exact same speaker to make sure it wasn't a fluke and they all did it. so, no. not a great speaker.

My boom speaker has some complex, debilitating system issue every 2-4 months that we have to call into tech support for help. I love the sound but it never works when you need it to.

Bose SoundLink Flex

Beosound A1

they're durable. i never had a problem in all my years with almost daily beach trips with my JBL Flip 3 and 6.

UE is garbage - still using Micro-USB. disgrace. unacceptable.

I have tried quite a few past few years and cannot really recommend anything under $100. I think it is extremely important that they have good basses. While it is pretty much impossible for portable speakers to have great basses though, I was still really surprised how good basses this one has and over all Im very happy with it so far.

Without a doubt, the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3. One sale now for $249. Ive tried almost all on your list.

Marshal speakers are garbage no matter the price they need to stick to making guitar amps, the earful Uboom X seems to be the subreddit favorite at the moment and seems to fit the bill perfectly in your case.

Just got one and love it, but not as much as my Onyx 7. It is more portable though. Also own the Flex from OP list and rank the x600 a little bit higher.

Are you using Minirig 3s or 4s? The wireless connection on the 4s is fine, I don't have any issues with it. Just needs a bit of learning how to use it...

My current tv setup is to aux output from my TV into one Minirig 4 then wirelessly connect to the second. You have to manually set them as left and right but it's stable as hell. I pretty much leave them on like this and just have to charge every few days. I don't notice any latency issues. I think because it's aux input...If you bluetooth to them from your TV it will be bad.

Just need the wireless sub now!

I did quite a bit of research and testing with portable speakers, and for my outdoor adventures, the Marshall Middleton really hit the mark. I valued its robust build and balanced sound....it's got a good punch without being overly bass-heavy, and the battery life has been reliable enough for a full day of use.

EV Everse 8 or 12

JBL Partybox, with that, a laptop and a controller you can make a party anywhere

Bose S1 Pro Plus

I have the JBL Partybox 320 + DDJ-FLX4. I haven't tested other configurations, but I connect to the daisy-chain in 3.5mm port and there is no latency. It has built-in wheels and a telescoping handle that makes it really easy to transport. It has a stand hole in the bottom too so you can raise it up.

 

I wish you could charge the battery outside of the speaker to charge/swap them, but I bought a couple off-brand ones from Aliexpress and they have a USB-C port on them for charging. That way I can swap the batteries quickly to keep going.

 

It works pretty well. You aren't going to be bumping in a 100+ party with it, but it works pretty well for house-sized setups I think. Bass is not the best, but it's going to be lacking with any battery setup because of the power requirements for heavy bass.

I love my JBL go 3, and I put a caribiner on the loop so I can hang it.

JBL Clip and bose makes a small one too

I recently got the Bose SoundLink Micro and took it on two trips (one international). It’s an amazing travel companion and doesn’t sacrifice much of the Bose sound quality for its small form factor.

JBL go feels really robust to me while still being small, but the JBL clip is even smaller and not a significant drop in sound quality

Marshall Willen. Sounds great and looks aesthetically appealing compared to other speakers. Comes with a strap, so it's easy to attach to a backpack or attach a carabiner.

For best bass indoors at low volumes, Beats Pill, for Everyday usage, Bose SoundLink Flex, for house parties/ adventures, Sony ULT Field 1. Jbl flip good too, me personally for overall good, Beats Pill. (Also its the goat for me. I have the red.)

If budget isn’t an issue, consider beosound a1 from Bang & Olufsen or explore. I dont’t know if the bass is heavier than JBL or UE competitors, but the speaker itself sounds amazing.

Harman Kardon Luna, the sound quality and the way the sound embraces you, the drums and the height they reach without distorting are impressive for their dimensions.

Tribit micro 2. If that’s what size you’re going for.

You can't get good bass from a small speaker. Deep, powerful bass without having to carry something heavy is only possible with headphones or earbuds.